Bila, Aboriginal Sun Goddess

The Aboriginal peoples of Australia have numerous myths associated with land and "country" (their particular location). This means that every "country" had their own particular "genii loci", protective spirits or localised myths., as well as what psycho-analysis Carl Jung would describe as the "collective unconsciousness" - similar themes appearing not only around the country but also around the world.

 

The beautiful Flinders Rangers, home of the Adnyamathanha people.

 

In the sharing of myths, the "country" origin often appears to have been missing due to the misconception that Aboriginal myths were the same across all "countries".   The following Goddess I believe to have originated from the Adnyamathanha people of the Flinders Rangers in South Australia, however, I am not 100% sure.  If anyone is able to confirm, please let me know.

With the Australia Summer upon us, bringing with it soaring temperatures and bush fires, I wanted to share a Fire Goddess story that would reflect the fragile balance between destruction and regeneration as many of the native Australian plants only regenerate through the act of fire.  The closest to such a Goddess that I can find currently is Bila who was associated with the sun, and who, as mentioned above, I believe may have originated from the Adnyamathanha people of the Flinders Rangers.

Bila was a cannibal goddess who caught her human victims and roasted them over an open fire.  This fire continuously provided light for the world.  One day Kudnu, the Lizard Man, and Muda, the Gecko Man, decided to stop her from eating the people.  Kudnu threw a boomerang at Bila which injured her.  Bila then turned into a ball of fire and fled from the world, leaving it in darkness.

Kudnu threw boomerangs to each of the directions in an attempt to catch her, with the one that he threw to the east hit its mark.

The ball of fire returned to the sky, traveling slowly from east to west, sinking below the horizon and returning in the east each day.

Kudnu and Muda were celebrated for stopping the killing and for creating day and night, and from that time on, the people did not eat lizards or geckos in their honour.

(Source - Lux Ferre)